Recently, a so-called cloud computing system that transmits a data processing request from a client such as, for example a portable terminal, to a server, executes data processing on the server side and returns a processing result to the client, and obtains the data processing result on the client side is starting to become widely used.
An example of the utilization of the cloud system includes execution of games on a game terminal. It is a system in which a game terminal (a client) that a user operates communicates with a server, and by the use of a high-function data processing function on the server side, image data such as a developing display of the game is provided to the client.
In such a cloud based game system, user operation information is transmitted from the client to the server. The server develops the game according to the operation information sent from the client, generates updated image and audio data, and transmits the updated image and audio data to the client. The client reproduces the updated image and audio sent from the server. By performing such a process, even a client that is not equipped with a high function processor and the like is capable of obtaining the data processing results using the server-side high-function data processing function.
However, when the transfer data between the server and the client is data with a large data size such as image data, delays and jitters (fluctuation) occur according to the state of the network. Typically, image and audio data needs to be transmitted as coded data, the client needs to store the received coded data in a buffer, and the coded data needs to be sequentially decoded and output.
When a packet delay and a jitter (fluctuation) occur according to the state of the network, delays in reception of the packet, decoding, display, and the sequential process of the above occur on the client side and, as a result, there are cases in which a timely image display cannot be performed in the client.
Note that as a known technology, for example, Patent Literature 1 (JP 2005-159787A) discloses processing that sequentially decodes and displays data stored in a buffer.